On World Water Day, held March 22, 2009, a coalition of leading international health organizations joined together to bring attention to the global water and sanitation crisis. Through a series of policy briefings and conferences, we worked to raise public attention on the grave risks people in developing countries face with improper access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

In addition to these events, along with GOOD Magazine we launched a cutting-edge video series to highlight global water and sanitation issues. The 13 organizations involved in the effort, including PSI, are thrilled with the outcome of our provocative series of videos which stimulate thought and action related to safe drinking water. Together, these videos have received over 1 million hits on YouTube!

Check out one of the videos!

In this video, kids slide down the chute of the popular kids toy, Crocodile Mile, only to splash into a big pool of sludgy, contaminated water. Viewers are surprised to learn in the developing world, a child dies every 20 seconds from severe diarrhea- a direct result of drinking dirty water and poor sanitation.

The videos weave the prevalence of diarrhea and unclean water into iconic moments in film and television, bringing the international crisis into popular culture. The videos were produced by GOOD, the integrated media company for people who want to live well and do good.

Among the organizations driving the effort to promote water and sanitation through this video series are PSI, the American Chemistry Council and Procter & Gamble Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program.

On WWD, we celebrate the importance of clean drinking water, but without collaborative partnerships like this one, water will continue to go unnoticed on the global stage. This seemingly com¬plex issue has relatively simple, cost-effective solutions; yet, it lacks global leadership. Until more partnerships are forged, responsibility will remain upstream.

Find out what you can do to take action on world water issues.

-Ashima Khanna, PSI